Princess of Wales Kate Middleton wrote her entire cancer speech “by herself, very quickly” in a bid to “squelch further gossip and speculation about her health”, a close friend has revealed.

According to the Daily Mail, Kate Middleton made the emotional announcement, which was recorded last Wednesday in Windsor and made public on Friday night. Her friend reveals her thoughts behind her decision to address the nation.

“It wasn’t really about the drama of the last few weeks, although obviously that was upsetting. He felt he had to because of who he is. It was more that he knows he is a public figure and has a wider leadership responsibility. It was all her speech, she wrote down every word, she did it very quickly,” her friend told The Sunday Times.

Her friend added that the speech allowed her to reach a more supportive audience that didn’t buy into the gossip and conspiracy theories.

Kate also favored revealing her health through a video message rather than a more “lively” written statement, as it would be a more reassuring way to break the shocking news to the British nation.